Apparatus for cleaning motion-picture films.



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APPARATUS FOR CLEANING MOTION PICTURE FILMS.

APPLICATION HLED JULY 5.191s.

Patented Mar. 6,1917.

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APPARATUS FOR CLEANING MOTION PICTURE FILMS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5;.1916.

Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

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UNITED STATES PATENT onnronf Y JOHN R. VOSE, OF ASHLAND, AND .WALTER J. OWENS, or 'CATLE'ITSBURG, KENT CKY.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING MOTION-PICTURE FILMS.-

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 5, 1916. Serial No. 107,556.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that we, JOHN R. Vosn and lVALTER J. Owen's, citizens of the United States, said VosE residing at Ashland andsaid OWENS residing at Catlettsburg, both in the county of Boydand State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Cleaning Motion-Picture Films, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad therein to the accompanying drawing.

. .7 This invention relates to improvements in rinsing fluid in a separate compartment being provided to thoroughly rinse the film so that all adherin particles are removed therefrom, there urther being provided means for drying the-film. so that as the film is removed from one reel to another, the same is thoroughly cleaned and dried.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an apparatus of this type in which the film is threaded between rollers and brushes, all of which are power driven so that no strain is placed upon the film during the cleaning, rinsing, and drying operation thereof. 1

In the accompanying drawin s Figure 1 is a side elevation o the complete apparatus made according to and embodying the resent invention.

I Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the tank.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 4 is across section taken on line 4-4.- of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail View showing the brush construction for wiping the film.

Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views of one modification of blower nozzle for drying the film. Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the base or support which has mounted thereon the standard 11 which holds the tank 12. I

This tank 12 is clearly illustrated in Figs.

disposed transverse partition 13 which difilm 21 being led in from the guide sprocket 22 and below the. submerged guide sprocket 23 mounted within the chamber 14, over the guide sprocket 27 adjacent the upper edge of the partition 13, below the guide sprocket 28 within the compartment 15 and the final guide sprocket 29 within the compartment 15.

Mounted within the compartment 14 are the two pairs of rotary brushes 24 and '25 which are driven by the gears 26 in unison and at a slightly greater speed than the guide rollers, so that a better brushing action will be imparted thereto to brush any adhering matter from the film, these brushes being rotated in an opposite direction to the film so as to brush the adhering material into the respective compartments In the compartment 175 are also mounted two pairs of rotary brushes 24 and 25 which are constructed similarly, one of the brushes 24' being submerged. All of the. various rollers and-brushes are driven by a belt or otherwise, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3.

Carried by the bracket 33 at the outlet end of the tank and supported from the frame 11 are the two guide rollers or sprockets 34 and and provided with the operating handle 43.

Mounted in the shaft 40 at the opposite side to the handle 43 is a' pulley 36'which has passed thereover the belt 37 by means of which the various rollers and brushes within the tank 12 are operated as the wind-on reel 42 is rotated.

From the foregoing description, the method or operation is fully understood, briefly stated as follows The cleaning fluid is placed in the com partment 14 and the rinsing fluid is placed in the compartment 15, both of these fluids in practice being the same, but inasmuch as the first immersion of the film removes the greatest portion of the dirt and oil, it has been found desirable to use two baths, as here illustrated.

The framework, which carries all of the respective guide rollers and which may be lifted out of the tank 12 so that the film 21 vmay be threaded therethrough, is properly and brushes and at the same time windsthe.

film upon the reel 42, the film being drawn through the fluid in the compartment 14, While the respective rotary brushes act thereupon to assist in releasing any adhering particles, such as carbon or metal, that adhere to the film during the movement thereof through the projector, the great majority of such adheringmaterial being removed in the compartment 14 and being precipitated to the bottom thereof and commingled with the solution.

The portion of the film previously acted upon is then passed through the solution in the compartment 15 where any remaining'oil or foreign matter may be removed therefrom, the nozzle 32 acting upon the film in transit so that before the same is wound upon the reel 42, it is thoroughly dried.

In practice, it has been demonstrated that the film can be cleaned at approximately the same speed that it moves through the projector in making an exhibition.

\Vhat we claim as new is 1. A film cleaning apparatus, including a reservoir divided into two separate liquid containing compartments, film guides located in each compartment and above the division wall therebetween, a plurality of pairs of brushes mounted in each compartment, one brush of one pair being adapted to be immersed. v

2. A film cleaning apparatus including a tank divided transversely by a partition of lesser height than the walls of the tank into a cleaning and rinsing compartment, a guide roller ournaled in each compartment at substantially the same level and below the upper edge of the partition, an intermediate guide roller journaled in the tank adjacent the upper edge of the partition, two pairs of brushes journaled in the tank adjacent the cleaning compartment one pair upon each side of the first mentioned guide roller, the

a lower brush of one of the pairs being adapted to be immersed, two pairs of rotary brushes journaled in the rinsing compartment adjacent the exit end thereof, the upper roller of one of the pairs being adapted to be immersed in the rinsing fluid, and two guiding rollers one adjacent the entrance end of the cleaning compartment and the other adjacent the exit end of the rinsing compartmerit.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

JOHN R. VOSE. WALTER J. OWENS; 

